SPEAKERS

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

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Ed Conley
FMR. FEMA, Best-selling Author

Ed Conley served nearly three decades with FEMA, leading teams around the globe in response to some of history’s most significant disasters. He has also managed national incidents and international emergencies with the (US) Coast Guard, Secret Service, Centers for Disease Control, and Department of State. Appointed as a US Liaison Representative with NATO, Ed traveled throughout Europe on emergency preparedness assignments. Before joining FEMA, he spent seven winters on the National Ski Patrol. Ed is the author of Promote the Dog Sitter: And Other Principles for Leading During Disasters. He resides in Seattle, Washington.

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Sir Ashley Bloomfield
Public Health Official

Sir Ashley Bloomfield trained in medicine at the University of Auckland and specialised in public health medicine. He has 25 years’ experience in public policy and health leadership, including at the World Health Organization in Geneva. He was Director-General of Health from June 2018 to July 2022 and led the country’s health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was appointed a Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (KNZM) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to public health and is now a Professor at the University of Auckland’s School of Population Health.

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS

Joe Buffone
Joe Buffone

Deputy Coordinator-General, Emergency Management and Response, NEMA Australia

About the Speaker

Joe Buffone

Joe is the Deputy Coordinator General of the Emergency Management and Response Group of the newly formed National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). He previously held the position of Director General of Emergency Management Australia (EMA) since October 2020 having been with EMA since December 2016 and had held multiple roles within the organisation. As Deputy Coordinator General, Joe is responsible for overseeing the Australian Government National Situation Room and Coordination of Australian Government Disaster Assistance (non-financial).

Joe has more than 30 years’ experience in security and disaster management and has held a number of key senior positions.

This year, he was appointed co-lead of the Exotic Animal Diseases Preparedness Joint Interagency Taskforce to undertake planning and preparedness across federal government, jurisdictions and industry in response to a possible incursion of foot and mouth disease or lumpy skin disease. Joe was deployed to Victoria in 2020 to establish and lead the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre to coordinate the response to COVID outbreaks in the Aged Care sector. Joe led the centre for 3 months until the situation was stabilised and transitioned to recovery.

Joe has held several senior executive positions over the past 15 years, such as Chief Officer of the Victorian Country Fire Authority, Deputy Emergency Management Commissioner Victoria, Deputy Emergency Services Commissioner, Victoria.

Joe has had direct involvement in coordinating and responding to major emergencies in Australia and internationally, at the Strategic, Operational and Tactical levels. Some examples are; Leading the 2022 Floods response, Victorian Aged Care Response Centre 2020, Black Summer 2019-20, Far North Queensland Floods 2018-19, Cyclone Debbie 2017, Tasmanian Bushfires 2016, Wye River Bushfires 2016, Nepal Earth Quake 2015, Somerton Building Waste Fire 2015, Hazelwood Mine Fire 2014, NSW Bushfires 2014, 2011 Victorian Floods and 2009 Black Saturday Fires in Victoria. He was deployed internationally to support an AUSMAT team deployment post the 2017 earthquake. Joe has also served in the Australian Defence Force.

Joe holds a Masters of Business, Graduate Diploma in Disaster Management, and a Diploma in Security Management.
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Mayor Jamie Cleine

Mayor, Buller District Council

About the Speaker

Jamie Cleine

Jamie is the Mayor of Buller District Council, a role he has held since 2019. His experience in emergency communications began during the National State of Emergency in response to the Covid pandemic in March 2021. This was followed by local emergency declarations for major flood events in July 2021 and again in February and August 2022.

As part of a small Council team, he has direct involvement in emergency operations centre functions, including drafting and presenting communications suitable for the local community during and following emergencies as well as to national print and broadcast media audiences.

Jamie appreciates the value that all facets of emergency management bring to the community and welcomes any opportunity to participate in professional development in the sector to learn from others and share his experience.
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John Freer

Coromandel’s CFM

About the Speaker

Matthew Floratos

Been involved with the media in senior roles in both New Zealand and Australia, also held senior communications and management roles in both countries. Worked with CFM and emergency services during Cyclone Gabrielle, the focus being accurate and immediate information on the storm effects. This followed up with communicating the downstream impacts on the Coromandel Peninsula and Hauraki Districts involving both local residents, visitors and the region’s commercial viability.
Matthew Floratos
Matthew Floratos

Waka Kotahi | NZ Transport Agency

About the Speaker

Matthew Floratos

Matthew Floratos leads social media at Waka Kotahi, responsible for setting the organisation’s social media strategy, content development, and channel governance. Before joining Waka Kotahi, he’d worked in a range of communications and media roles at parliament and in the electricity sector. He’s passionate about clear, meaningful, and accessible communication.
Samantha Gee
Samantha Gee

Regional Journalist, RNZ

About the Speaker

Samantha Gee

Samantha Gee is a regional journalist for RNZ, based in Nelson and covering Te Tauihu o Te Waka-a-Māui, the top of the South Island. She was previously a journalist for Stuff, where she covered health, court and justice along with breaking news for the Nelson Mail. In her 10 years in Nelson, she has covered numerous weather events, including state of emergencies in Nelson, Marlborough, Gisborne and Westport.
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Dr Sarb Johal

EM and Disaster Psychologist

About the Speaker

Dr Sarb Johal

Bestselling author, speaker and former clinical psychologist Dr Sarb Johal brings a fresh lens to the light, the dark and the intriguing aspects of the human experience. His work helps us make sense of an ever-changing world, navigate uncertain times with greater equilibrium, bring more joy, purpose and meaning to the everyday and soak up the riches of a life well lived.

Dr Johal has over 30 year’s experience helping people and organisations find their way through challenging times with greater equanimity, resilience and connection. He advised the UK and New Zealand governments and the World Health Organisation through some of the major national and international crises of the last decades. He is a sought after keynote speaker and a regular contributor to Psychology Today, The Guardian, RNZ National and other national and international media outlets.

Sarb has a PhD from the School of Psychology at the University of Cardiff and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from University College London. His latest book is the bestselling Finding Calm: Managing Fear and Anxiety in an Uncertain World.
Karen JOnes
Karen Jones

Waka Kotahi | NZ Transport Agency 

About the Speaker

Karen Jones

Karen Jones, Group General Manager, Te Waka Kōtuia - Engagement & Partnerships, Waka Kotahi – NZ Transport Agency.

Karen joined the Waka Kotahi executive team in March 2020. She currently leads a nationwide team of marketing, communications, channels management, iwi engagement, government relations and local government relationship specialists. She’s passionate about working in large operational organisations and in roles that make a difference to New Zealanders. She’s motivated by the Waka Kotahi purpose to keep our country moving and to reduce harm through a safer land transport network.

Before joining Waka Kotahi, Karen was Deputy Director General People and Engagement at DOC. Other previous roles include a secondment to DPMC as Executive Director Strategy, Governance and Engagement where she assisted with the establishment of the new National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). She also spent more than five years working in the executive team at NZ Police as Deputy Chief Executive Public Affairs.
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Rachel Kelleher

General Manager, Environmental Services, Auckland Council

About the Speaker

Rachel Kelleher

Rachel Kelleher is the General Manager of Environmental Services at Auckland Council. In her current role Rachel is responsible for leading a department of specialists delivering climate action, biosecurity and biodiversity management, geological advice and youth engagement and participation in environmental outcomes across Tāmaki Makaurau.

Following completion of a Master of Science degree at Waikato University majoring in Biology, Rachel began her career working for the Department of Conservation in a role focussed on wetland protection and restoration. She has worked in both technical and operational roles across the natural environment and parks and open spaces sector.

Rachel has been a member of national species recovery groups, a trustee of several community- led conservation projects and is currently on the national Tiakina Kauri – Kauri Protection Governance Group.

Throughout her career, Rachel has worked in the emergency response sector, starting as a rural fire officer and over recent years as a duty Controller for Auckland Emergency Management. She was a Controller and Deputy Controller during the Auckland severe weather events of early 2023 and lead 32 media stand-up events during the response.
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Kim Parker

Communications and Marketing Manager, Unison Networks Ltd

About the Speaker

Kim Parker

Kim is a versatile communications, engagement and marketing leader with over 18 years of experience. She heads the communications and marketing function for Hawke's Bay-based lines company, Unison Networks. Kim has led impactful communications initiatives for a diverse range of organisations including the London Organising Committee for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, several UK government departments, the London Borough of Merton, Auckland City Council and Central Hawke’s Bay District Council. As Unison’s PIM, Kim led the crisis communications response to the widespread power outages affecting more than 70,000 customers across Unison's network regions, including Hawke's Bay, following Cyclone Gabrielle.
MIchele Poole
Michele Poole

Communications Team, Fire and Emergency NZ | EMPA Fellow

About the Speaker

Michele Poole

Michele has been part of the evolving practice of public information management for over 25 years, acting as Public Information Manager in floods, fires, earthquakes, storms and manmade hazards.

She has deployed to several of NZ’s most significant emergency responses, including Cyclone Gabrielle, the Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes, the wreck of the Rena and the devasting fires at Lake Ōhau, Waiharara and Pigeon Valley.

She is a member of the NZ Emergency Management Assistance Team, and Maritime NZ’s National Oil Spill Response Team, as well as being a Fellow of EMPA.

In her day job Michele is part of Fire and Emergency’s communications team and leads the training of the FENZ Public Information Managers.

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Mayor Rehette Stoltz

Mayor, Gisborne District Council 

About the Speaker

Mayor Rehette Stoltz

Rehette was elected as Mayor of Gisborne in 2019. Before that, she served as Deputy Mayor for two terms. Rehette is passionate about environmental sustainability, wants to encourage and enable economic growth and she values the wonderful bi-cultural community that is unique to Tairāwhiti.

Born and raised in South Africa, an OE brought Rehette to Gisborne in 2001, and she immediately fell in love with Tairāwhiti and its lovely people.

Rehette has a Masters Degree (M.Sc) in Cardiovascular Physiology. Before entering the world of politics, she was actively involved in the academic world and also brings experience from owning and running her own business.
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Mayor Nadine Taylor

Mayor, Marlborough District Council 

About the Speaker

Mayor Nadine Taylor

Nadine is serving her first term as Marlborough Mayor after six years as a Councillor and three years as Deputy Mayor.

Nadine was born and raised in Marlborough and has a life-long affinity with the area, particularly Picton and the Sounds.

With husband Graham she started a commercial crayfishing company in 1994, living on Arapaoa Island in Queen Charlotte Sound, from where she and Graham fished the challenging Cook Strait. It was literally all hands-on-deck and Nadine crewed the boat for three years.

Nadine has a degree in Political Science and History and a Post Graduate Degree in History, from the University of Canterbury.

Her key focus for this term is overseeing the recovery of the Marlborough Sounds from two severe storm events in 2021 and 2022.
Melanie Thorton
Melanie Thornton 

Engagement Manager, Gisborne District Council

About the Speaker

Melanie Thornton

Melanie is a versatile senior leader with a diverse background across private and public sector organisations. She is currently the Communications Manager at Gisborne District Council and is the PIM in emergencies. And there have been a fair few of those in Tairāwhiti in the past two years. Prior to that she was the Executive Director of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. She previously worked at Greater Wellington Regional Council as both the Manager, Sustainable Transport and as the Project Leader in the Regional Strategy Office, supporting the economic development strategy for the region. Prior to this she worked as a features producer with Radio New Zealand for more than ten years, producing features, documentaries and the weekly Ideas programme.
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Alice Wilkins

Reporter, NewsHub

About the Speaker

Alice Wilkins

Alice is a television reporter based in Auckland. She has worked for Newshub for eleven years. In her first full-time job as a junior reporter in Christchurch, Alice covered the Port Hills Fires, which broke out on her first day in the job. Since then she has covered a number of significant emergency events across the country, including the SkyCity Convention Centre fire, the 2022 Gisborne floods, and most recently, the Auckland Anniversary Floods and Cyclone Gabrielle's impact in both Auckland and Gisborne.

Naomi Fergusson, Hastings District Council  |  Kareama Katu, Fire and Emergency NZ  |  John Price, NEMA  |  Prof Tom Wilson, Canterbury University & NEMA